A DAREDEVIL British duo are attempting to smash the world record for a gruelling 10,000-mile drive from Cape Town to London - in a Fiat Panda.

Philip Young and Paul Brace are the latest adventurers to attempt the dangerous marathon across 13 countries and two continents.

The madcap duo are confident of snatching the world record by completing the journey in just 10 days in the 875cc car. By their own admission the attempt will either end in glorious success or heroic failure.

Nippy They have shunned a robust 4x4 or specially-adapted off-road vehicle in favour of the £7,000 city runaround which has an economical range of 600 miles. It might not be the most comfortable ride, but the car is nippy, responsive and needs little maintenance.

One will drive while the other eats food from Army-issue selfheating cans and tries to grab some rest.

Their bed is a child's mattress laid across the back seat but a silent night is definitely not in store, especially as Paris-Dakar rally veteran Mr Young, 53, of Deal, Kent, is 6ft 1ins and Mr Brace, 50, a car restorer from Bexhill, East Sussex, is 5ft 10ins.

If things should go wrong along the way they are confident of overcoming mechanical problems with a toolkit which consists of an adjustable spanner, hammer, superglue and gaffer tape.

Last night, after successfully negotiating the Zambezi river, tropical storms and potholes bigger than the car itself, the Panda pair were just miles from leaving Tanzania.

Mr Young, of the Endurance Rally Association, said: "We could have chosen a Range Rover but that would be way too easy. We know what we are up against and I would say our chances are 50/50 - if the wheels stay on and we reach the top of Africa in one piece, we're in with a shout.

"It'll be like driving a little gokart, but the Panda is pin sharp. If we are able to lie down, the key is to get 20 minutes of decent sleep every 10 hours. Like all things the devil is in the detail but we think we can pull off a real surprise."

They are hoping their Union Jack-emblazoned Panda will give them safe passage through some of the most inhospitable countries on earth.

They started in South Africa on Friday on a route that takes them through Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia before they cross the Mediterranean for the final stretch through Italy and France.

Philip Young and Paul Brace are attempting a World Record drive

The pair are hoping their Union Jack-emblazoned Panda will give them safe passage through some of the most inhospitable countries on earth

To have any hope of breaking the record - which currently stands at 14 days, 19 hours and 26 minutes - they will have to average 1,000 miles a day.

A specially created border will be opened between Sudan and Egypt, provided they make it that far, but passing through Libya might be a little tougher, as it has closed its borders to foreigners.

The pair are hoping to raise tens of thousands of pounds for British charity Farm Africa, which was set up to tackle hunger in east Africa.

This year is the 80th anniversary of the first attempt to drive from London to Cape Town in a Morris Eight, a drive that took five months. Since then, many have tried to set the fastest time in vehicles ranging from a Wolseley 18/85, Austin A70, Hillman Minx, Humber Super Snipe and Ford Cortina.

Ferry Mr Young and Mr Brace are looking to beat the current record of a fortnight, which was set in 1983 by Brigadier John Hemsley and his wife Lucy in a Range Rover.

The continuing unrest in Syria has forced the duo to catch a ferry from Tunis to Europe, but they have to make the north African city by Thursday to be in with any chance of beating the record and aim to cross the finishing line at Marble Arch next Monday.